Array of products

ABSTRACT

An array of products including a plurality of common containers wherein two or more on-functional, different, separable graphics is provided.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an array of products and more particularly, to an array of products comprising a plurality of common containers comprising non-functional, different, separable graphics and methods for marketing and making such array of products.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Arrays of products comprising different containers, such as facial tissue cardboard boxes and/or wet wipe tubs, having non-functional, different graphics are known in the art.

The problem with known arrays of products comprising different containers having non-functional, different graphics is that various containers are needed for the products rather than one common container onto which a non-functional, different, separable graphic can be added.

Accordingly, there is a need for an array of products comprising a plurality of common containers comprising non-functional, different, separable graphics, a method for marketing such array of products and a method for making such array of products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention fulfills the problem described above by providing an array of products comprising a plurality of common containers comprising non-functional, different, separable graphics.

In one example of the present invention, an array of products comprising:

a. a plurality of common containers suitable for housing a plurality of sanitary tissue products; and

b. a plurality of sanitary tissue products housed within the plurality of containers;

wherein two or more of the common containers comprise non-functional, different, separable graphics is provided.

In another example of the present invention, a method for marketing an array of products in accordance with the present invention comprises the step of displaying the array of products in a store wherein the array of products comprise a common brand name.

In yet another example of the present invention, a method for making an array of products in accordance with the present invention comprises the steps of:

-   -   a. providing a plurality of common containers;     -   b. applying non-functional, different, separable graphics to the         plurality of common containers; and     -   c. inserting a plurality of sanitary tissue products within the         plurality of common containers.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an array of products comprising a plurality of common containers and methods for making such arrays.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an array of products in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of one product of the array of products from FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Definitions

“Fibrous structure” as used herein means a structure that comprises one or more fibrous elements. In one example, a fibrous structure according to the present invention means an association of fibrous elements that together form a structure, such as a unitary structure, capable of performing a function. Nonlimiting examples of fibrous structures of the present invention include paper, fabrics (including woven, knitted, and non-woven), and absorbent pads (for example for diapers or feminine hygiene products).

The fibrous structures of the present invention may be homogeneous or may be layered. If layered, the fibrous structures may comprise at least two and/or at least three and/or at least four and/or at least five layers.

The fibrous structures of the present invention may be co-formed fibrous structures.

In one example, the fibrous structures of the present invention are disposable. For example, the fibrous structures of the present invention are non-textile fibrous structures.

Nonlimiting examples of processes for making fibrous structures include known wet-laid papermaking processes and air-laid papermaking processes. Such processes typically include the steps of preparing a fibrous element composition, such as a fiber composition, in the form of a suspension in a medium, either wet, more specifically an aqueous medium, i.e., water, or dry, more specifically a gaseous medium, i.e. air. The suspension of fibers within an aqueous medium is oftentimes referred to as a fiber slurry. The fibrous suspension is then used to deposit a plurality of fibers onto a forming wire or belt such that an embryonic fibrous structure is formed, after which drying and/or bonding the fibers together results in the association of the fibers into a fibrous structure. Further processing the fibrous structure may be carried out such that a finished fibrous structure is formed. For example, in typical papermaking processes, the finished fibrous structure is the fibrous structure that is wound on the reel at the end of papermaking. The finished fibrous structure may subsequently be converted into a finished product, e.g. a sanitary tissue product.

“Sanitary tissue product” as used herein means a soft, low density (i.e. <about 0.15 g/cm³) fibrous structure useful as a wiping implement for post-urinary and post-bowel movement cleaning (toilet tissue), for otorhinolaryngological discharges (facial tissue), and multi-functional absorbent and cleaning uses (absorbent towels). The sanitary tissue product may be convolutedly wound upon itself about a core or without a core to form a sanitary tissue product roll.

In one example, the sanitary tissue product of the present invention comprises one or more fibrous structures according to the present invention.

The sanitary tissue products of the present invention may exhibit a basis weight between about 10 g/m² to about 120 g/m² and/or from about 15 g/m² to about 110 g/m² and/or from about 20 g/m² to about 100 g/m² and/or from about 30 to 90 g/m². In addition, the sanitary tissue product of the present invention may exhibit a basis weight between about 30 g/m² to about 120 g/m² and/or from about 40 g/m² to about 100 g/m² and/or from about 50 g/m² to about 90 g/m² and/or from about 55 to about 80 g/m².

The sanitary tissue products of the present invention may exhibit a total dry tensile strength of greater than about 59 g/cm (150 g/in) and/or from about 78 g/cm (200 g/in) to about 394 g/cm (1000 g/in) and/or from about 98 g/cm (250 g/in) to about 335 g/cm (850 g/in). In addition, the sanitary tissue product of the present invention may exhibit a total dry tensile strength of greater than about 196 g/cm (500 g/in) and/or from about 196 g/cm (500 g/in) to about 394 g/cm (1000 g/in) and/or from about 216 g/cm (550 g/in) to about 335 g/cm (850 g/in) and/or from about 236 g/cm (600 g/in) to about 315 g/cm (800 g/in). In one example, the sanitary tissue product exhibits a total dry tensile strength of less than about 394 g/cm (1000 g/in) and/or less than about 335 g/cm (850 g/in).

In another example, the sanitary tissue products of the present invention may exhibit a total dry tensile strength of greater than about 500 g/in and/or greater than about 600 g/in and/or greater than about 700 g/in and/or greater than about 800 g/in and/or greater than about (900 g/in) and/or greater than about 394 g/cm (1000 g/in) and/or from about 315 g/cm (800 g/in) to about 1968 g/cm (5000 g/in) and/or from about 354 g/cm (900 g/in) to about 1181 g/cm (3000 g/in) and/or from about 354 g/cm (900 g/in) to about 984 g/cm (2500 g/in) and/or from about 394 g/cm (1000 g/in) to about 787 g/cm (2000 g/in).

The sanitary tissue products of the present invention may exhibit an initial total wet tensile strength of less than about 78 g/cm (200 g/in) and/or less than about 59 g/cm (150 g/in) and/or less than about 39 g/cm (100 g/in) and/or less than about 29 g/cm (75 g/in).

The sanitary tissue products of the present invention may exhibit an initial total wet tensile strength of greater than about 118 g/cm (300 g/in) and/or greater than about 157 g/cm (400 g/in) and/or greater than about 196 g/cm (500 g/in) and/or greater than about 236 g/cm (600 g/in) and/or greater than about 276 g/cm (700 g/in) and/or greater than about 315 g/cm (800 g/in) and/or greater than about 354 g/cm (900 g/in) and/or greater than about 394 g/cm (1000 g/in) and/or from about 118 g/cm (300 g/in) to about 1968 g/cm (5000 g/in) and/or from about 157 g/cm (400 g/in) to about 1181 g/cm (3000 g/in) and/or from about 196 g/cm (500 g/in) to about 984 g/cm (2500 g/in) and/or from about 196 g/cm (500 g/in) to about 787 g/cm (2000 g/in) and/or from about 196 g/cm (500 g/in) to about 591 g/cm (1500 g/in).

The sanitary tissue products of the present invention may exhibit a density of less than about 0.60 g/cm³ and/or less than about 0.30 g/cm³ and/or less than about 0.20 g/cm³ and/or less than about 0.10 g/cm³ and/or less than about 0.07 g/cm³ and/or less than about 0.05 g/cm³ and/or from about 0.01 g/cm³ to about 0.20 g/cm³ and/or from about 0.02 g/cm³ to about 0.10 g/cm³.

The sanitary tissue products of the present invention may exhibit a total absorptive capacity of according to the Horizontal Full Sheet (HFS) Test Method described herein of greater than about 10 g/g and/or greater than about 12 g/g and/or greater than about 15 g/g and/or from about 15 g/g to about 50 g/g and/or to about 40 g/g and/or to about 30 g/g.

The sanitary tissue products of the present invention may exhibit a Vertical Full Sheet (VFS) value as determined by the Vertical Full Sheet (VFS) Test Method described herein of greater than about 5 g/g and/or greater than about 7 g/g and/or greater than about 9 g/g and/or from about 9 g/g to about 30 g/g and/or to about 25 g/g and/or to about 20 g/g and/or to about 17 g/g.

The sanitary tissue products of the present invention may be in the form of sanitary tissue product rolls. Such sanitary tissue product rolls may comprise a plurality of connected, but perforated sheets of fibrous structure, that are separably dispensable from adjacent sheets.

The sanitary tissue products of the present invention may comprises additives such as softening agents, temporary wet strength agents, permanent wet strength agents, bulk softening agents, lotions, silicones, wetting agents, latexes, patterned latexes and other types of additives suitable for inclusion in and/or on sanitary tissue products.

“Basis Weight” as used herein is the weight per unit area of a sample reported in lbs/3000 ft² or g/m².

“Machine Direction” or “MD” as used herein means the direction parallel to the flow of the fibrous structure through the papermaking machine and/or product manufacturing equipment.

“Cross Machine Direction” or “CD” as used herein means the direction perpendicular to the machine direction in the same plane of the fibrous structure and/or paper product comprising the fibrous structure.

“Ply” or “Plies” as used herein means an individual fibrous structure optionally to be disposed in a substantially contiguous, face-to-face relationship with other plies, forming a multiple ply fibrous structure. It is also contemplated that a single fibrous structure can effectively form two “plies” or multiple “plies”, for example, by being folded on itself.

As used herein, the articles “a” and “an” when used herein, for example, “an anionic surfactant” or “a fiber” is understood to mean one or more of the material that is claimed or described.

All percentages and ratios are calculated by weight unless otherwise indicated. All percentages and ratios are calculated based on the total composition unless otherwise indicated.

Unless otherwise noted, all component or composition levels are in reference to the active level of that component or composition, and are exclusive of impurities, for example, residual solvents or by-products, which may be present in commercially available sources.

Plurality of Common Containers

The common containers of the present invention may be any suitable containers capable of housing products and capable being associated with non-functional, separable graphics. Nonlimiting examples of common containers include tubs, cylinders, bottles, cartons, boxes and the like. The common containers may be disposable and/or reusable. The common containers may be made for materials selected from the group consisting of: plastics, cardboard, films, glass, wood, metal and mixtures thereof. The common containers may comprise a lid for providing access to products within the containers. The lid may be a hinged lid, pop-top lid, removable lid, screw-top lid, resealable film lid, slideable seal lid and mixtures thereof.

The lids on the common containers may be non-textured or textured. The lids may comprise a pattern that substantially matches a pattern on a product within the containers. The lid may have a non-functional, separable graphic.

The common containers comprise non-functional, separable graphics. The non-functional, separable graphics may be applied to a plurality of sides of the containers. Any suitable process known in the art for associating non-functional, separable graphics with the common containers may be used. Nonlimiting examples of such processes include adhesive and/or shrink-wrap processes.

The non-functional, separable graphics allow for an inventory of common containers rather than an inventory of different containers. In addition, changes in graphics for the common containers can be less costly since only the separable graphics themselves need to be scrapped not the entire container. In addition, the separable graphics permit last-minute application of the graphics to the containers before going to market.

Array of Products

As shown in FIG. 1, the array of products of the present invention 10 comprises a plurality of common containers 12, in this case three common containers. The common containers 12 comprise a lid, for example a hinged lid 14. The hinged lid 14 comprises a texture 16 as represented by a pattern 18. The common containers 12 further comprise non-functional, separable graphics 20. The non-functional, separable graphics 20 have been shrink-wrapped onto one or more sides of the common containers 12.

Two or more of the non-functional, separable graphics 20 are different from one another.

As shown in FIG. 2, the common containers 12 house a plurality of products, for example, a plurality of sanitary tissue products 22, such as wipes. The plurality of products housed within the common containers 12 may comprise a pattern 24 that is substantially similar to the pattern 18 on the hinged lid 14, which is shown in an open state, of the common container 12.

The plurality of sanitary tissue products 22 may be housed within the common container 12 in the form of a stack 26 of sanitary tissue products 22. The plurality of sanitary tissue products 22 may be folded. The plurality of sanitary tissue products 22 may be interleaved.

One or more of the common containers may comprise at least one surface comprising a design.

One or more of the common containers may be reusable. In one example, a refill pack of sanitary tissue products, such as within a film wrap, may be placed into an empty common container.

In one example, the array of products of the present invention are marketed under a common brand name.

In another example, one or more of the common containers may comprise a removable sleeve into which the one or more common containers is received. In one example, the removable sleeve comprises a brand name.

Sanitary Tissue Products

The sanitary tissue products of the present invention may be wipes. Commonly known consumer wipes, such as dry or pre-moistened wipes may be disposable and/or dispersible and/or flushable.

The sanitary tissue products may comprise man-made fibers, natural fibers and combinations thereof, and may or may not be biodegradable. Nonlimiting examples of man-made fibers include: rayon, which in turn includes but is not limited to viscose, lyocell and mixtures thereof; polyhydroxyalkanoates; polylactic acid; polyester; and mixtures thereof. Non-limiting examples of natural fibers include: pulp, cotton, wool, silk, jute, linen, ramie, hemp, flax, camel hair, kenaf, and mixtures thereof. Non-thermoplastic fibers that are of use in the present invention are selected from the group consisting of: rayon, which in turn includes but is not limited to viscose, lyocell and mixtures thereof; pulp; cotton; wool; silk; jute; linen; ramie; hemp; flax; camel hair; kenaf; and mixtures thereof.

In one example, the sanitary tissue products may comprise from about 20% to about 80% rayon fibers and from about 80% to about 20% of pulp fibers. In another embodiment, the nonwoven webs may comprise from about 30% to about 70% rayon fibers and from about 70% to about 30% pulp fibers. In another embodiment, the nonwoven webs may comprise from about 40% to about 60% rayon fibers and from about 60% to about 40% pulp fibers. In yet another embodiment, the nonwoven webs may comprise about 60% rayon fibers and about 40% pulp fibers.

The sanitary tissue products may have basis weights ranging from about 5 to about 200 grams per square meter (gsm), from about 10 to about 175 gsm, from about 30 to about 150 gsm, from about 20 to about 100 gsm, from about 30 to about 70 gsm, or even from about 40 to about 60 gsm.

The sanitary tissue products, especially wipes, may be adapted for a variety of uses and may be pre-moistened or moistened with a liquid composition. The liquid composition may comprise an aqueous solution and may further comprise surfactant, co-surfactant, foam building agent, emulsifier, non-cellulosic water soluble organic polymer and mixtures thereof.

The sanitary tissue products may be wet wipes.

The sanitary tissue products of the present invention may be suitable for use in cleaning babies, and may also find use in cleaning tasks related to persons of all ages. Such wipes may also include articles used for application of substances to the body, including but not limited to application of make-up, skin conditioners, ointments, medications and mixtures thereof. Such wipes may also include articles used for the cleaning or grooming of pets, and articles used for the general cleansing of surfaces and objects, such as household kitchen and bathroom surfaces, eyeglasses, exercise and athletic equipment, automotive surfaces and the like. Such sanitary tissue products may also be used in the hospital or clinical environment to clean up bodily fluids and the like.

The sanitary tissue products may be folded and stacked in a common container such as a tub. The sanitary tissue products of the present invention may be folded in any of various known folding patterns, such as C-folding and Z-folding. Use of a Z-fold pattern may enable a folded stack of sanitary tissue products to be interleaved with overlapping portions.

The sanitary tissue products of the present invention may further comprise a surface comprising a design, such as a surface pattern and/or prints, which may provide aesthetic appeal. Nonlimiting examples of prints include figures, patterns, letters, pictures and combinations thereof. Further, the sanitary tissue products may comprise emboss patterns and/or texture.

The sanitary tissue products may be put into the common containers as loose sanitary tissue products or as packaged sanitary tissue products, such as packaged in a film wrap package.

The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm.”

All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the Invention are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference; the citation of any document is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention. To the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention. 

1. An array of products comprising: a. a plurality of common containers suitable for housing a plurality of sanitary tissue products; and b. a plurality of sanitary tissue products housed within the plurality of containers; wherein two or more of the common containers comprise non-functional, different, separable graphics.
 2. The array of products according to claim 1 wherein the common containers comprise tubs.
 3. The array of products according to claim 1 wherein the common containers are made from plastic.
 4. The array of products according to claim 1 wherein the sanitary tissue products comprise wipes.
 5. The array of products according to claim 4 wherein the wipes comprise wet wipes.
 6. The array of products according to claim 4 wherein the wipes comprise an interleaved stack of wipes.
 7. The array of products according to claim 1 wherein one or more surfaces of the sanitary tissue products comprise a design.
 8. The array of products according to claim 7 wherein the sanitary tissue products comprise a surface pattern.
 9. The array of products according to claim 8 wherein the surface pattern comprises an embossed pattern.
 10. The array of products according to claim 7 wherein the common containers comprises at least one surface comprising the design.
 11. The array of products according to claim 1 wherein the common containers are reusable.
 12. The array of products according to claim 1 wherein the array of products are marketed under common brand name.
 13. The array of products according to claim 1 wherein the array of products comprise a removable sleeve.
 14. The array of products according to claim 13 wherein the removable sleeve comprises a brand name.
 15. The array of products according to claim 1 wherein three or more of the common containers comprise non-functional, different, separable graphics. 